This article is a little old but I believe it still represents the way a lot of people in the UK think. I'm not sure how they found their data but I would have thought these days more couples shared the house and garden chores rather than still thinking of things as men's or women's work. Do you find that lawn care is left to the man more than the woman?
The division of labour
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JDgreen
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Jeez...my wife works almost full time and I am retired...I do EVERYTHING outdoors, home maintenance and repairs and improvements, keeps our vehicles clean and maintained, take care of the trash and recycle, tend a huge garden in season, do every bit of the lawn work, (5 acres) plus I care for our pets, do much of the housework and cleaning and my own laundry and also do most of the meal preparation.
Now you tell me, who is working full time? :confused2:
BKBrown
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We are both retired...I do everything outdoors, home maintenance and repairs and improvements, keep our vehicles clean and maintained, take care of the trash and recycle, do every bit of the lawn work, (10 acres) plus I care for our Chocolate Lab, do most of the housework and cleaning and my own laundry (sometimes), and also do all of the meal preparation (unless we go out).
The better half does the bills, most of the shopping, and most of the laundry.
I was told I'd be bored when I retired ---- WHEN ? :laughing:
The better half does the bills, most of the shopping, and most of the laundry.
I was told I'd be bored when I retired ---- WHEN ? :laughing:
I see no problem about the study about men and women's preferences. From where I live, the division of labor stated in the study is already the norm (more or less). Personally, I don't expect women to mow the lawn. It's not that they can't. Certainly they can. But in a 24-hour day, would they rather mow the lawn than do the chores that they're more gifted at doing?
I'm not sure that women are inherently wired to be better at some things than men. It just strikes me that men are assumed to have 'mechanical' skills (hence the lawnmowing), and women are expected to be more creative and nurturing. In our house we always try to divide jobs by skill rather than gender. I like the way JDGreen and his wife run things - a true partnership shifts and changes to reflect outside commitments.
BKBrown your situation sounds good too. At the end of the day I think you should do what makes you happy and satisfied. My husband missed out on catering college so he's never happier than when he is cooking. (And he hates BBQing so I always do that!)
BKBrown your situation sounds good too. At the end of the day I think you should do what makes you happy and satisfied. My husband missed out on catering college so he's never happier than when he is cooking. (And he hates BBQing so I always do that!)
In a husband and wife situation, partnership indeed is it. I see that in my elder brother and his wife. They constantly talk to each other.
They have an arrangement wherein the wife is the boss of everything inside the house (layout, decor, food, laundry, etc.). My elder brother is boss of everything outside the door (car maintenance, landscaping, lawn mowing, barbecue, etc.). So, when my sister-in-law needs something fixed inside the home, my elder brother is her mechanic, plumber, carpenter. But when my brother gets hungry, his wife prepares the meals and snacks.
In everything else, they talk. Cool couple!
They have an arrangement wherein the wife is the boss of everything inside the house (layout, decor, food, laundry, etc.). My elder brother is boss of everything outside the door (car maintenance, landscaping, lawn mowing, barbecue, etc.). So, when my sister-in-law needs something fixed inside the home, my elder brother is her mechanic, plumber, carpenter. But when my brother gets hungry, his wife prepares the meals and snacks.
In everything else, they talk. Cool couple!